SOUTHWICK – Three finalists were interviewed this week by the Southwick-Tolland-Granvile Regional School Committee for the Granville Village School principal position.
A field of nine candidates was narrowed to three through an interview process that took place over the last several weeks. The position became available when former Principal Anna-Stina Wardlaw resigned in June.
A search committee selected Linda Jean Christofori, Jodi Helene Wagner, and Karoline Kells to move on to a second interview. Superintendent Dr. John Barry said during the interviews that the committee was planning to make an offer to a candidate at the end of this week.
Christofori is currently a math intervention and head teacher in Springfield. Her past experience includes being a leadership supervisor in Springfield, a high school math teacher in Springfield, a professional development teacher in New Mexico, a vice principal in West Springfield, and a district-wide mentor in Springfield.
Christofori, a Longmeadow resident, said she loves teaching, but her “heart is in administration.”
After touring GVS, Christofori said she was very excited.
“I am thrilled to see the kids get to have art and music and PE,” she said.
Christofori said she was also impressed with the school’s MCAS scores, calling them “off the charts.” She said there was a “little glitch” in the English Language Arts portion of the scores, which she would delve into as principal.
Christofori was asked what her first month as principal would look like and she said it would include a lot of observation.
“I would observe, watch and see, look at data and I would love to meet the families and have an open house for them to meet me,” she said.
Christofori said she enjoys greeting children in the morning and be a strong visible presence.
“I love to be part of a class,” she said. “I want to be part of the learning.”
When asked how she would handle motivating a teacher reported as underperforming, Christofori said her first step would be to review any documents on that teacher, then speak directly to the teacher.
“I would also make my own observations,” she said.
If, after discussions, improvements were not made, Christofori said she would have to take another step.
“The students have to come first,” she said.
A committee member asked how Christofori would foster a relationship between the school, the district and the community.
“I want to invite people in,” she said.
Christofori said being new to the district and community would be an advantage because she did not need to draw upon the past but could move forward with a fresh perspective. She said she also hoped to increase enrollment.
Christofori said she hoped to have a cohesive staff in her first year.
‘They may already be, but I want to bring a spirit of excitement for people who are doing their job, and for students coming to school,” Christofori said.
When asked if she had any closing statements, Christofori laughed and said “pick me!”
“I feel really excited,” she said. “This is me – this is what I bring to the table. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I feel this is for me.”
Wagner is a Granville resident who has taught at GVS since 2003. Prior to that, Wagner worked in the business field, serving as a training and development administrator for Hamilton Sundstrand for more than a decade.
Wagner is a math teacher at GVS and currently serves as head teacher, performing duties of a principal since the resignation of Wardlaw.
Wagner said her business background was in continuous improvement, something that, combined with her teaching experience, would help her motivate staff and students.
“I have been a substitute, a teacher’s assistant, a Title I teacher, a head teacher – I know what it’s like to stand in the shoes of nearly every position at the school,” she said.
Wagner said she has a Three C philosophy: open and productive communication; cooperation between community and staff; and collaboration.
When asked about her first month as principal, Wagner said she has been living it as the lead teacher for the start of the school year.
“It has been a rollercoaster ride,” said Wagner. “It has been an amazing adventure. I love the constant changing dynamic of being a principal.”
Wagner was asked how she would support and encourage all students and told the committee they need to be reminded of what they can achieve.
“The biggest thing they need to do is aim high,” she said, adding that it is the job of the principal and teachers to help them do this.
When faced with an underperforming teacher, Wagner said she would first talk to the teacher and students, if they were age-appropriate. She would then create an action plan with that teacher and follow up on that plan.
To improve relations between the school, district and community, Wagner said she would like to extend the school’s role beyond its walls.
“I would love to see Granville Village School have representation on the outside of this building,” she said.
Wagner would like to revive the once thriving volunteer program that brought seniors and other community members into the classroom, and she wants the school to become a “cultural center” in Granville.
Wagner said the one thing she would like to accomplish in her first year, if selected as principal, is to “change the atmosphere in the building.”
“I would like to see people enjoy themselves at work and see students engaging in their education – it should be fun for students and for staff,” said Wagner.
Wagner added that she would like to market GVS as an innovative school for the future.
Kells has been a special education teacher in Westfield since 1995 and spent a decade as a lead teacher at Fort Meadow Early Childhood Center, where she said she was able to experience some administrative tasks, and fell in love with administration.
A Westfield resident, Kells attended elementary school in Whately, a small school she said is reminiscent of GVS.
Kells said she was excited to apply for the principal position because GVS “is a school I can understand.”
“It is a family,” said Kells.
Kells currently works in a school of 600 students and said she welcomes the small school atmosphere. She wants to be a principal because her goal is “to be an administrator, so I can continue to help people.”
After visiting the school, Kells said it is a beautiful building that has been cared for by the staff.
Kells said if chosen as principal, her first month on the job would be spent learning.
“I’d like to take in the school,” she said. “I need to learn from the staff and students and hear what works and what doesn’t and as a team see where we could take that.”
Kells said her philosophy is that every child has the ability to achieve and it is the job of teachers and administrators to help students do just that, though not necessarily with one mechanism.
“Not every child learns the same way and I have to get kids to learn, whatever it takes,” said Kells. “So you have to learn your students, want to know the students, their families and what goes on at home.”
Kells said if a teacher was possibly underperforming, her first step to motivating them would be to review personnel files, observe the situation, and talk with staff.
“I’m not going to go on hearsay,” said Kells.
To cultivate a relationship between the school, district and community, Kells said she first would need to get to know the community.
“I need to know what Granville is looking for,” she said.
In Kells’ first year, if hired, she said her priority accomplishment would be security.
“I want security for the staff and for children,” she said. “I want them to know we’re going to be there for them.”
Kells thanked the committee for the opportunity and also thanked members of the GVS staff who attended the public interviews.
